I agree. Competition is always good... if the deal gets done with Sprint its hard to believe we will be seeing them continue to push boundaries like this.
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T-Mobile Announces 'Test Drive', A One Week Network Trial With a Free iPhone 5s
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I agree. Competition is always good... if the deal gets done with Sprint its hard to believe we will be seeing them continue to push boundaries like this.
They don't charge anybody anything. There's a difference between a charge and a hold. There is a hold because they need to make sure the card is valid and is able to be charged the maximum fee in case you don't return the device. The hold would typically drop off within 2-3 business days like any other hold.
Also this test drive allows people to try out the service without having to port numbers over or paying a restocking fee.
clearly does not understand a hold. Not to mention you do not have to go through the hassle of canceling your current phone plan to try out their network. This is nothing but good news.
I don't know about that. While I am a Net Neutrality supporter the whole issue lies on big companies edging out little companies because they have the ability to pay providers to have faster service.
Tmobile said they did this with NO intervention from the streaming companies of their own initiative with no money exchanged. Personally I see this as a huge gray area in the Net Neutrality. But they didn't violate anything. Pandora didn't pay T-Mobile to improve their service, unlike Netflix did with Verizon and Comcast.
Sounds like a great program. Coverage map indicates we're just insider the border 2g of land, so I'd happily give this a try and check the results.
Only other issue for me is that I don't seem to get a corporate discount with tm. Not sure if that could be haggled, but maybe worth a shot if the test drive goes well.
Only other issue for me is that I don't seem to get a corporate discount with tm. Not sure if that could be haggled, but maybe worth a shot if the test drive goes well.
Yeah, you totally miss the point of this program. Allow me to explain in terms that I think would apply to most people. I am with a carrier who offers me unlimited data; a rare occurrence for cell phone plans between AT&T & VZW today. In order to "try" T-Mobile based on your logic, I would have to leave my carrier for T-Mobile thus forfeiting my unlimited data plan. That is not so terrible if T-Mobile is wonderful in my area and all areas I travel to; however, it would be terrible if I jump to T-Mobile and find out that I am hosed. As a result of this new offer from T-Mobile, I can try a phone with virtually no investment (I don't consider a hold on a credit card a true investment) and answer all questions I may have had concerning T-Mobile.
So no, T-Mobile did not take something that was already in place and call it new and exciting. Yes, I can go to T-Mobile today and buy a phone that will be charged to my credit card and the money will be gone, but then I am most likely no longer with my present carrier and I have lost the only two perks I have with my current carrier.
At best this can be a case of tomato (to-may-to) / tomato (to-ma-to) in the eyes of some.
As for the deal, I bought a $35 Nokia Lumina and did a pay as I go plan for a month. I found the service to be better than it was roughly 18 months ago. I have been in the same home for the entire 18 months and traveled to roughly the same cities in the same timeframe. T-Mobile, in spite of some crappy CS that I received previously, has proven that they would be a contender for my next carrier. VZW and my home do not mix as well as they used to. I can't explain what happened but service declined greatly in the last couple of years. T-Mobile has spots in my home that do not work well (one bathroom and a guest room) but that is not a show-stopper for me.
T-Mobile Amazing in NYC
T-Mobile is the best service in NYC - surprisingly enough. Blazing fast.
What does it matter if they put a hold on your credit card? Do you also complain when you check into a hotel and they put a hold on your card? Unless your credit limit is only $700, but then you probably shouldn't be worried about test driving a smartphone, yeah?
In fairness, I know at least with AT&T, you can port out your number and come back within a month and still get your original plan back.
Great marketing assuming the user doesn't take the phone out of a decent T-Mobile reception area.
But I don't really get this part:
Why would that matter. The returned phone can't be sold as new after the test drive and I would think T-Mobile would also restore the phone to factory settings after each test drive as well. What am I missing here?
But I don't really get this part:
Why would that matter. The returned phone can't be sold as new after the test drive and I would think T-Mobile would also restore the phone to factory settings after each test drive as well. What am I missing here?
You can't restore an iPhone with Find my iPhone activated without the original user's Apple id.
They may be refurbishing the test devices.
Really? I'm guessing one of these:
I'm not at all trying to sound condescending, but there is literally a swath of comments dedicated to answering that.
It has a camera on the back and front, so technically it is both forward looking and backward looking.
Thank you but I do feel I may have been a lil too snarky!
And I totally agree with you about the TMo "test drive". I think (and maybe this has been said by others) this is a great move for Apple. I know a few Android users who would switch to iOS if they tried it, but wont spend the money to do so. This is a win-win.
I am so glad T-Mobile didn't get bought by AT&T. This is how a cell provider competes to win customers in the marketplace.
To be fair, setting up a new account with T-Mobile to try out for 14 days doesn't require you to port numbers, either. Just as this Test Drive provides you with a temporary number, so would the "new account." You could just forward your phone calls from your current phone number to the new account, to best test it. In fact, that's exactly what T-Mobile's Test Drive FAQ (scroll to the bottom) suggests you do, too.
Test Drive just makes this all easier, less of a hassle, with a few improvements. Firstly, there's no restocking fee. Secondly, there's no charge for the week's worth of calls, or data. "Test Drive phones can make unlimited domestic calls, texts, and use Unlimited 4G LTE data (including up to 3GB of Smartphone Mobile HotSpot Service)." That's pretty huge.
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Who says you need to cancel your current account to try out their network? Anytime I've ever switched carriers, I signed up for the new carrier, used it for 7-10 days, and then (once I was satisfied) ported over my number. This Test Drive program essentially allows for the same experiment, without having to spend any money on the test.
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T-Mobile Sucks. In NYC their coverage isn't nearly as good as Verizon or Sprint(During Hurricane Sandy, Verizon was the only network working in downtown Manhattan). Also, recently, after running around taking care of an ill family member, I was 10 days late on an $85 bill...and they suspended my account.
1. Not sure you can be mad at any carrier for not working after a hurricane.
2. Did you tell them you were going to be late? I'm sure they will work with you if they're notified. Otherwise, you just look like somebody who wasn't going to pay.
No, you're missing out on a huge point. The preexisting 14-day return policy means you'd (A) be paying a restocking fee, and (B) paying for 14 days of service.
Again, from the FAQ:
"Test Drive phones can make unlimited domestic calls, texts, and use Unlimited 4G LTE data (including up to 3GB of Smartphone Mobile HotSpot Service)."
And that's for free. They're not charging you and refunding you. They put a hold on the charge and only follow through on actually charging you if you don't return the test phone by day #7.
Not to mention, the signup for setting up new service and choosing a phone is quite a bit more involved than this Test Drive. No need to pay in advance, then later call, cancel service, RMA the device, and wait for a refund. This Test Drive removes nearly all the friction; the program is specifically in place to make it easy to test drive.
BTW, they don't "fine you for turning on Find My iPhone." They charge you if you don't turn it off before returning it (because that would brick the phone for them.) That's a big difference between what you typed. You can use "Find My iPhone" on the loaner (and that's not a bad idea, since you're responsible for the device if it's lost or stolen.) You just have to remember to turn it off when you're done testing.
I criss cross the country a lot by car and LTE has been popping up everywhere. I pray to God that the Sprint buyout is stopped.
I don't think so. If you "set up" an account with ATT, VZW, Sprint, or T-mo my assumption is that you are responsible for your share of service, taxes, and data used.
i.e. If you use 30 gig of mobile internet data with AT&T, you have to pay all those data overage charges even if you cancel and return the phone inside your 14 day window. You just aren't charged the ETF and refunded the cost of the phone / less any restocking fee.
T-Mo's "test drive" on the other hand seems to forgo all of that. As long as you return the phone in 7 days - $0 even for 50+ gigs of data use.